Connect with us

NRL

England international signs with former club after bizarre week in bid to keep rugby league Ashes hopes alive

England and NRL winger Dom Young on the attack

Dominic Young will spend the rest of 2025 playing with his former club Newcastle Knights, after a mid-season switch sees him leave Sydney Roosters in the hunt for regular game time that will enhance his chances of playing in this year’s rugby league Ashes.

Despite it looking a routine return to his former club on the surface, the deal was not as straightforward as you would expect.

The Dewsbury-born winger signed for the Chooks ahead of 2024, and made 31 appearances under Trent Robinson, scoring 26 tries. 

The final of those games, however, came on Saturday night, as he helped the Roosters overcome the Knights in a tight 12-8 victory. Just two days later, he was released from the remainder of his contract. 

In a statement confirming the release, Roosters Head of Recruitment, and former St Helens coach Daniel Anderson, said: “Dom is a talented athlete and a great person. We thank Dom for his contributions to the Roosters and wish him all the best for the future.”  

He is now all but confirmed to join Newcastle, and tomorrow (Tuesday), it is expected that Young will be named in Adam O’Brien’s squad to face the Dolphins this weekend. He will sign for the Knights on a deal until the end of 2027.

Dom Young makes switch in search for minutes as rugby league Ashes loom

Speaking to reporters after the Roosters victory on Saturday, the 23-year-old said: “I’ve got a lot of good memories from my time at Newcastle. I’m close with a lot of the boys, and have good relationships and everything like that, so if I was to come back, it’s a pretty easy fit for me to come back.” 

Young added that the main reason for the move was ultimately about being able to get minutes on the pitch, something he’ll need if he’s to play in the first rugby league Ashes in 23 years.

“I think the thing for me is I need to be playing every week,” Young said. “It’s a big year for me this year, I’ve got a lot of goals I want to achieve, and the main way for me to do that is to be on the field. 

Young and England will face Australia in a historic three-test Ashes series at the end of the season, and as we draw ever closer to the first game on October 25 at Wembley, players will need to produce their best form to impress Shaun Wane and be selected. 

In the wing department, England have plenty of options. Young is one of the first names on the team sheet when fully fit, and this move will allow him to gain some momentum going into what will be the biggest games of his career. 

Other options include Liam Marshall, Tom Johnstone and Joe Burgess. Warrington’s Matty Ashton would be the favourite to pair Young on the opposite wing, however an ACL injury has ruled him out for the rest of the year. 

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Must See

More in NRL